Football

The longest-tenured coach currently at Tennessee Tech, Sam Williamson is as much a staple of the university as it is its football program. Guiding one of the most successful defensive position groups through the years, Williamson has more than earned his spot with the Golden Eagle coaching staff for years to come.

 

“Cookeville, Tech – it’s home to me now,” Williamson said. “I’ve been here for a long time. I enjoy Tennessee Tech, I enjoy the community. I’ve been lucky – I’ve enjoyed working with every staff that I’ve been with. I fit in well with all of them.”

 

In late 2015 and early 2016, Williamson was venturing into unfamiliar territory. A new head football coach had been hired as Marcus Satterfield took over the Tennessee Tech program, so there was a degree of uncertainty as to whether he’d keep the Watson Brown-era coach. But Williamson was hired on, helping smooth the transition from one coach to another to another as Alexander entered the head coach’s office, then named the Associate Head Coach under Alexander’s watch.

 

The same happened in 2023 as Williamson oversaw the day-to-day duties for the Golden Eagles into the transition of Coach Wilder’s staff.

 

The epitome of a players’ coach, Williamson has been a terrific liaison between the players and the coaching staff, support staff and administration.

 

Through his 17 previous seasons in Cookeville, Williamson helped oversee the Golden Eagles’ defensive line as Tech won the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference championship.

 

A 2005 graduate of UAB, Williamson, a Greenville, Ala., native, played for Watson Brown as a defensive tackle – earning the role of team captain twice, Conference USA Player of the Week twice and named to the C-USA Academic Honor Roll. He saw starting duty as a sophomore, then became the full-time starter as a junior and senior, rolling up 106 total tackles, including 12 tackles-for-loss and four quarterback sacks. He also played on the Blazers’ Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl team.

 

Williamson was also active in Birmingham’s Big Brother/Big Sister program as a student-athlete.

 

He then joined his staff as a volunteer assistant coach following his graduation in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in justice science,  working in developing the talents of NFL players Jermaine McElveen and Kyle Bissinger. He also worked one year in UAB’s Sports Medicine and Fitness program, mentoring high school seniors and supervising high and middle school student-athletes.